Get summaries, questions, answers, solutions, notes, extras, PDF of Class 11 English Core textbook (Resonance), chapter 1, The Kingfisher by WH Davies, which is part of the syllabus of students studying under MBOSE (Meghalaya Board). These solutions, however, should only be treated as references and can be modified/changed.
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Summary
“The Kingfisher” by W.H. Davies is a lyrical poem that celebrates the beauty and simplicity of the kingfisher bird. The poet begins by attributing the bird’s birth to the rainbow, bestowing upon it a spectrum of beautiful colours. He notes that the kingfisher prefers solitary places like quiet pools and weeping willow trees, aligning with its serene nature.
In the second stanza, Davies contrasts the kingfisher with the peacock, a bird often associated with vanity and grandeur. He suggests that the kingfisher should live in green parks and show its beautiful feathers in front of royal windows, but immediately asserts that the bird is not vain and has no ambitious desires. Instead, the poet admires the kingfisher’s preference for peaceful and quiet places, away from human activity.
Davies relates to the kingfisher’s love for solitude and nature. He expresses his own desire for a quiet place, surrounded by greenery and the gentle sound of a tree’s sigh. The poem uses vivid imagery and personification to capture the essence of the kingfisher and its environment, painting a picture of tranquility and natural beauty.
The poem emphasises the theme of simplicity and contentment in nature, contrasting it with the artificial grandeur of human life. Through the kingfisher, Davies conveys a message of finding joy in the quiet and unassuming aspects of life. The use of personification and imagery enhances the reader’s appreciation of the bird’s natural beauty and serene habitat.
Line-by-line explanation
It was the rainbow gave thee birth, / And left thee all her lovely hues;
The poet imagines that the kingfisher was born from a rainbow, inheriting all its beautiful colors.
So runs it in thy blood to choose / For haunts the lonely pools, and keep / In company with trees that weep.
Because the kingfisher comes from something as colorful and beautiful as a rainbow, it naturally chooses to live in peaceful and solitary places like quiet pools and near weeping willow trees, which hang sorrowfully over the water.
Go you and, with such glorious hues, / Live with proud peacocks in green parks; / On lawns as smooth as shining glass / Let every feather show its marks;
The poet suggests that the kingfisher, with its splendid colors, could live among proud peacocks in lush green parks and on perfectly manicured lawns, displaying its beautiful feathers just like the peacocks do.
Get thee on bough and clap thy wings / Before the windows of proud kings.
He also imagines the kingfisher perching on tree branches and spreading its wings in front of the windows of grand palaces, where kings reside.
Nay, lovely bird, thou art not vain; / Thou hast no proud ambitious mind;
However, the poet asserts that the kingfisher is not vain or proud and does not have ambitions to show off its beauty like other birds.
I also love a quiet place / That’s green, away from all mankind;
The poet finds a kinship with the kingfisher, expressing his own preference for quiet, green places far from human activity.
A lonely pool; and let a tree / Sigh with its bosom over me.
He imagines himself in a serene setting, beside a solitary pool, with a tree gently swaying above him, as if the tree itself is sighing in contentment.
Textual questions and answers
Fill in the blanks with ideas from the poem
1. The peacock does two things that make it appear proud. They are:
a. ____________
b. ____________
Answer: a. spreading its feathers
b. strutting on the lawns
2. The poet feels that the kingfisher is not ____________ like a ____________
Answer: proud, peacock
3. ____________ before the windows of kings is pointed out to be ____________ by the poet.
Answer: Clapping its wings, vain
4. It looks as though the poet suddenly compares ____________ with the kingfisher and says that he also prefers ____________
Answer: himself, a quiet place that’s green, away from all mankind.
5. When the tree lets out a sigh from its bosom ____________ might blow from the tree.
Answer: a gentle breeze
Answer these questions briefly
1. Have you seen a kingfisher’s picture? Why does the poet think that the rainbow gave birth to the kingfisher? Do you think he would have said that to a crow?
Answer: Yes, the poet thinks that the rainbow gave birth to the kingfisher because of its lovely hues. No, he would not have said that to a crow.
2. When does a rainbow form? Why does the poet say that the rainbow’s mother’s name was ‘Tears’?
Answer: A rainbow forms when sunlight passes through rain droplets. The poet says that the rainbow’s mother’s name was ‘Tears’ because rain is essential for the formation of a rainbow.
3. What runs in the kingfisher’s blood – happiness or sadness? Why?
Answer: Sadness runs in the kingfisher’s blood because it chooses to live near lonely pools and weeping trees.
4. Why does he say that the kingfisher chooses to live near lonely pools and weeping trees? Does the bird’s habitat have anything to do with how sad or happy it feels?
Answer: He says the kingfisher chooses to live near lonely pools and weeping trees because it reflects the sadness in its blood. Yes, the bird’s habitat does reflect its feeling of sadness.
5. What does the poet suggest to the bird in the second stanza?
Answer: The poet suggests to the bird to live with proud peacocks in green parks and on lawns as smooth as shining glass, and to clap its wings before the windows of proud kings.
6. Does he want the kingfisher to imitate the habits of another bird?
Answer: No, he does not want the kingfisher to imitate the habits of another bird.
Appreciating the poem
How has the poet captured the features and characteristics of the kingfisher in poetry? What imagery has he used? In literature, the use of words and phrases to create an image of something is called imagery.
Answer: The poet W.H. Davies captures the features and characteristics of the kingfisher by employing vivid imagery that paints a picture of the bird’s vibrant appearance and serene habitat.
In the poem “The Kingfisher,” Davies uses the imagery of a rainbow to describe the bird’s birth and its colourful feathers: “It was the rainbow gave thee birth, / And left thee all her lovely hues.” This description not only highlights the kingfisher’s beautiful and striking colours but also gives a sense of the bird’s almost magical origin.
Davies further creates a peaceful and reflective image of the kingfisher’s habitat: “For haunts the lonely pools, and keep / In company with trees that weep.” Here, the poet uses the imagery of “lonely pools” and “trees that weep” (weeping willows) to convey the tranquil and somewhat melancholic environment that the kingfisher prefers. This suggests a connection between the bird’s vivid appearance and the calm, introspective spaces it inhabits.
Moreover, Davies contrasts the kingfisher with more ostentatious birds, like the peacock: “Live with proud peacocks in green parks; / On lawns as smooth as shining glass / Let every feather show its marks.” Through this comparison, he underscores the kingfisher’s unpretentious nature, despite its beauty. The use of “proud peacocks” and “lawns as smooth as shining glass” creates an image of grandeur and pride, which the kingfisher eschews.
Lastly, the poet also employs personification to enhance the imagery and emotional impact of the poem. Examples include “trees that weep,” attributing sorrowful human emotions to the trees, and “let a tree / Sigh with its bosom over me,” which gives the tree a nurturing, almost motherly quality.
Beyond the text
1. What sort of a person do you think the poet is? Does he hint at any qualities he possesses?
Answer: The poet W.H. Davies appears to be a reflective and nature-loving individual. He hints at qualities of solitude and a preference for peaceful, natural settings. This is evident when he expresses a love for “a quiet place / That’s green, away from all mankind” and appreciates the serene company of a “lonely pool” and a tree that “sigh[s] with its bosom over me.” These lines suggest that Davies finds solace in nature and values simplicity and tranquillity over the hustle and bustle of human society. His admiration for the kingfisher’s unassuming beauty also implies a humility and an appreciation for understated elegance.
2. Do you think he interprets the natural behaviour and appearance of the bird to communicate something? What is it?
Answer: Yes, Davies interprets the natural behaviour and appearance of the kingfisher to communicate deeper themes of simplicity, humility, and the beauty found in solitude. By contrasting the kingfisher with more flamboyant birds like peacocks, he highlights the kingfisher’s quiet grace and lack of vanity. This can be seen as a metaphor for human qualities, suggesting that true beauty and value lie not in ostentatious displays but in serene, modest existence. The poem’s imagery of the kingfisher’s serene habitat – “lonely pools” and “trees that weep” – also reflects a contemplative and introspective approach to life, encouraging the reader to find peace and beauty in simple, natural surroundings. Through the kingfisher, Davies communicates a message about finding contentment and beauty in quiet, unassuming places and moments.
Appreciating form and language
1. a. A lyric is a short poem which expresses the poet’s thoughts or feelings, often in an intense manner. Do you think The Kingfisher can be called a lyrical poem?
Answer: Yes, The Kingfisher can be called a lyrical poem because it expresses the poet’s feelings and thoughts about the beauty and characteristics of the kingfisher in an intense and personal manner.
b. Read the poem Ode to a Nightingale by the famous English poet, John Keats. Compare the two poems.
Answer: Both The Kingfisher and Ode to a Nightingale are lyrical poems that express the poets’ admiration for birds. However, while WH Davies focuses on the vivid colours and peaceful nature of the kingfisher, John Keats in Ode to a Nightingale delves into themes of mortality, transcendence, and the fleeting nature of happiness through his contemplation of the nightingale’s song. Both poems use rich imagery and personification to convey their messages.
2. a. A simile is a comparison between two dissimilar things using connecting words such as ‘like’ or ‘as’. It allows the writer or poet to emphasise a characteristic of one thing by likening it to another thing, which has that characteristic. Example: ‘a voice as sweet as a nightingale’. An example of a simile in this poem is ‘lawns as smooth as shining glass’. Write a simile to describe the kingfisher based on the images in the poem. (Hint: Use the image in the first two lines.)
Answer: The kingfisher is like a jewel gleaming in the sunlight.
b. When an abstract concept or inanimate object is given human qualities, it is called personification. Examples: ‘nature wept’ or ‘the wind whispered many truths to me.’ Can you find two examples of personification in the poem?
Answer: Two examples of personification in the poem are “trees that weep” and “sigh with its bosom over me.”
Writing
Using ideas and expressions from the poem, write a descriptive essay on The Kingfisher-a beautiful sight to behold.
Answer:
The Kingfisher – A Beautiful Sight to Behold
The kingfisher, with its dazzling array of colours, is truly a beautiful sight to behold. As the poem by WH Davies suggests, it is as if the rainbow itself gave birth to this splendid bird, leaving it with all its lovely hues. The kingfisher’s feathers display a vibrant spectrum, reminiscent of a rainbow after a summer storm. This radiant bird, adorned in nature’s finest palette, seems to carry a piece of the sky and water with it wherever it goes.
The kingfisher is often found near lonely pools and weeping willow trees, frequenting these quiet, serene spots as if in search of solitude and reflection. Its chosen habitat, with calm waters and overhanging branches, perfectly complements its tranquil nature. The poet captures this beautifully, suggesting that it is in the kingfisher’s blood to seek out these peaceful haunts. The bird’s presence adds a touch of grace and splendour to these secluded spots, making them appear even more picturesque.
In the poem, Davies also describes the kingfisher’s interaction with its environment. He imagines the bird clapping its wings on boughs before the windows of proud kings, suggesting that even royalty would be captivated by its beauty. Yet, the kingfisher remains unassuming, lacking the pride and ambition that might accompany such splendour. This humility only enhances its charm, as it goes about its life quietly, away from the pomp and circumstance.
The poet draws a poignant comparison between himself and the kingfisher, expressing his own love for quiet, green places away from mankind. Just as the kingfisher finds comfort and beauty in the solitude of nature, so does the poet. This shared appreciation for tranquility and natural beauty forges a bond between the observer and the observed, creating a sense of kinship with the bird.
Davies uses rich imagery to bring the kingfisher to life in his poem. He describes lawns “as smooth as shining glass,” highlighting the pristine beauty of the bird’s surroundings. Personification further enhances the imagery, with phrases like “trees that weep” and “sigh with its bosom,” imbuing the landscape with human emotions and making the scene even more vivid and relatable.
In conclusion, the kingfisher, with its radiant colours and serene disposition, is a magnificent embodiment of nature’s beauty. WH Davies’ poem captures its essence with vivid imagery and heartfelt admiration, allowing readers to appreciate the kingfisher as a beautiful sight to behold. Through his words, we are invited to share in the poet’s awe and to find our own moments of peace and beauty in the natural world.
Extra fill in the blanks
1. The poet feels that the kingfisher is not ______. (Proud/Happy)
Answer: Proud
10. The poet suggests the kingfisher get on a ______ and clap its wings. (Bough/Branch)
Answer: Bough
Extra true or false
1. The poem suggests that the rainbow gave birth to the kingfisher.
Answer: True
10. The poem implies that the kingfisher is a vain bird.
Answer: False
Extra question and answer
1. “It was the rainbow gave thee birth, And left thee all her lovely hues;”
(i) What gave birth to the kingfisher according to the poem?
Answer: The rainbow.
(ii) What did the rainbow leave to the kingfisher?
Answer: All her lovely hues.
(iii) What does “hues” mean in the context of the poem?
Answer: Colours or tints.
16. How does the poet’s description of the kingfisher reflect his own preferences and personality?
Answer: The poet’s description of the kingfisher reflects his own preferences for quiet, natural places away from mankind. He compares himself to the kingfisher, indicating that he also loves a lonely pool and a tree sighing over him, suggesting a preference for solitude and a deep appreciation for nature’s beauty. This hints at the poet’s introspective and nature-loving personality.
Ron’e Dutta is a journalist, teacher, aspiring novelist, and blogger who manages Online Free Notes. An avid reader of Victorian literature, his favourite book is Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. He dreams of travelling the world. You can connect with him on social media. He does personal writing on ronism.
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